Insights and observations on the redevelopment and revitalization of post-industrial towns on the Route 422 Corridor in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Politics and Development

The more I am out on my own working, the more I realize that politics is the essence of doing downtown development deals. Since I have worked in so many places, I have a fairly good idea of what it takes to get a project done. Elected officials, commission members and citizens all have a say in development. When a developer attempts to work in a town, there is always a need to work with the locals.

The Importance of By-Laws in Non-Profit Management

I have created many entities in my days as a revitalization coordinator. I have managed my share of 501 (C) 3 and 4s, in a number of different states. The one thing the organizations had in common is they all had by-laws.

By-laws should never be a secret document, and anyone joining a non-profit board should get a copy of the bylaws upon joining the board. The by-laws are the rules of the organization and procedures for conducting business

Transportation and Downtown Development

Transportation plays a big part of the success of a town that is revitalizing. You want your town to be automobile accessible, but at the same time, you do not want a super-highway running through your town. It is a delicate balance of convenience and walkability is always hard to achieve.

The Vacant Lot as an Asset

In a downtown, there are series of spaces that could be considered public spaces. The sum of those public spaces makes up the whole… that would be the downtown. When you are dealing with public spaces, it is necessary to devise a strategy for each place. It is not good enough to just devise one strategy when you have problematic spaces within the downtown.

How to Assess Your Downtown

The first thing that is necessary to do is look at your downtown. I believe the best way to assess is to spend some time in the downtown sitting on a bench and observe. Watch the people come and go in the downtown and see how they react to the space. I try to just act as a normal person in the downtown and try to make it not very obvious that I am there to observe to get a true sense of what is going on.

Downtown Constraints

Any time you start working in a new town you must analyze what constitutes the downtown, and how existing elements can work for or against the revitalization. I always spend some time observing the downtown. You can learn a lot just by watching.

Revitalization: Who Benefits?

Recently I went to a meeting of two towns, located side by side, that wanted to join in a common revitalization effort. I sat there a while and listened to the discussion. Everyone was hot to revitalize and then someone stood up and said they did not want to revitalize because their rent would go up. The meeting went downhill as the woman went on to say that her taxes would increase and more people in the downtown means that the landlords would want more rent.

Changing It Up

I am going to expand my focus to deal with the issue of change and introducing change in an area. I have worked in a number of different communities throughout the commonwealth and have introduced change as part of the main street manager program.

The Main Street Program Has Lost Funding, What Now?

Many towns lose funding for the main street program after a number of years in the program. Budget cuts in state sources and local commercial development funding can make public commercial reinvestment dollars scarce. Some towns are left only with remnants of a main street program because of funding difficulties.

Organizing for Revitalization

Most towns in Pennsylvania have, at one time or another, organized for revitalization of the downtown. Sometimes revitalization happens and sometimes it does not. The problem with if it does not happen is that many years pass before it is tried again.

Each attempt will have its origins in a group of people with diverse backgrounds and varying skill sets. The direction of the group is often swayed by the prejudices both good and bad to different parts of the revitalization puzzle.

Grant Packaging

One of the items that people seeking government funding need to recognize is that there is not really only one source for many projects. There are federal grants, state grants, and local grants, each being a little different and each being a little alike.

Leveraging Local Dollars as a way of Funding Projects, Part 2

Last month I went over how important it is not to be an undiscovered island in a sea of projects offered to funding sources. I discussed how important it is to put a “face” on the project. Local leaders need to step to the forefront to discuss their project desires with the agencies regulating the activity. This ensures that the project is not coming from left field somewhere, but as part of an announced strategy to rectify whatever problem is at hand.

Leveraging Local Dollars as a Way for Funding Projects

People are always asking me, “how is it that you are able to access grants”? I always blow off that question because I do not know. I know that if you write a good application, you score a lot of points and you are competitive. That is all that you can ask, that you are competitive to get yourself on the board.

Financial Packaging in a Difficult Environment

In a time when money is tight in the public sector, things become more competitive when a community is seeking money for economic development. I write grants, and know that the level of the quality of applications is higher when there is less money.

Much of the time, the types of grants a community can apply for is dictated through the availability of local match money. Where there is an issue with raising the local match, the types of grants and availability of grants are limited.

Who Revitalizes a Downtown?

Any time you hear of a town that wants to revitalize the downtown area, there are reasons for people get together to form a revitalization committee. Some towns are not that bad. Some towns are really bad. The question is always, what do we do to fix it? Many times, the answers the group comes up with, are to tell others what to do.

Change as a Constant

Since I am the only recognized “Agent of Change” in Pennsylvania… so declared by the Governor at one time… I thought I would change up this column a little bit this month and write about change.

Elimination of Funding Schools through Property Taxes

The budget talks are ongoing in Pennsylvania and one of the items is how to fund the schools. Some of it centers on how to implement a plan that collects only a partial amount of the entire amount gained through property taxes by schools. Although I am not privy to the discussions, I could imagine concerns that certain school districts will not get a rightful share and the money.

Phoenixville’s Colonial Theatre: the Core of Revitalization

People talk about all of the revitalization of the downtown Phoenixville and how things have changed over the past 12 years. I remember when I got there in December of 2003 there was a bright spot through all of the nonsense that was happening and that was the Colonial Theatre.

Main Street as an Economic Development Generator

“Back in the day they walked three or four abreast in the downtown on a Saturday night.” That is a familiar quote from residents of a community as they talk about how the downtown has lost favor in the regional marketplace. Looking at the streets bare and without activity must mean that the town is no longer viable.

Politics and the Budget

Pennsylvania has gone a couple of months without a budget. It appears that the day to day running of the government has been spared the pain, but things are just not being done. The future of the Main Street program hangs with the budget, so the main street managers have a stake in the budget this year.